>>>But you know it's not that simple. For example, I heard someone from the FAA explain that while air traffic controllers are (of course) considered essential, the folks who train them are not. That works in the short run, but not the long run.
>>>
>>>I'm willing to acknowledge that those who train the air traffic controllers should be considered essential - so long as Obama's golf caddy is considered non-essential. :)
>>
>>Actually, I agree that the trainers are not essential ... if the shutdown is a matter of days or a few weeks. If it's longer, they become essential.
>>
>>My point was that just because we don't consider a job essential in a government shutdown, that doesn't mean it's not an important job that we need.
>>
>>Tamar
>
>Agreed.
>All this is child's play compared to the upcoming debt ceiling vote.
>If the repubs mess with that one, they can do some serious damage.

If the libs don't want to negotiate, then its time to mess with it...